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Shloka 21

वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च

The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel

ततो रथसहस्रेण नागानामयुतेन च

tato rathasahasreṇa nāgānām ayutena ca

そのとき、千の戦車と、さらに一万の戦象をもって軍勢は進み出た――クルクシェートラの戦いにおいて圧倒的な武威が集められてゆく光景であり、むき出しの力と戦略の誇示とが、この争いの道義的重みへと迫りかかっていた。

ततःthen; thereafter; from there
ततः:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (पञ्चमी-अर्थे: 'from/thereafter')
रथसहस्रेणwith a thousand chariots
रथसहस्रेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootरथसहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
नागानाम्of elephants
नागानाम्:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootनाग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
अयुतेनwith ten thousand
अयुतेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

सयजय उवाच

R
ratha (chariots)
N
nāga (war-elephants)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the immense material force deployed in war, implicitly contrasting external might (numbers, weapons, elephants) with the deeper ethical burden of violence and the responsibility of leaders who choose escalation.

Sañjaya describes a movement or advance of forces characterized by vast numbers—one thousand chariots and ten thousand elephants—signaling a major military mobilization within the Drona Parva battle sequence.